Fadel A. Samatey Group


 * サマテイ研 (日本語) Fadel A. Samatey Group (Japanese)Fadel A. Samatey Group (Japanese)

Fadel A. Samatey is Head of the Transmembrane Trafficking Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) (Japan). Samatey's group uses X-ray crystallography, genetic and biochemical approaches to elucidate the structures and functions of transmembrane proteins, especially type III secretion proteins in bacterial flagella.

Below are listed contributions from the Samatey Group, most recent first.

Interests and Objectives
Motility is a very important function in the living world. For this purpose, organisms such as bacteria have developed the most incredible molecular machine: the flagellar system. Bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium swim by rotating long helical filaments called the flagellum. The flagellum is a complex structure made by the association of many different proteins. It can be divided into three parts: 1) the filament: a long, rigid, tubular structure that works as a helical propeller, 2) the hook: a short, highly flexible tubular segment that works as a universal joint, and 3) the basal body: a rotary motor embedded in the cell membrane.

During the assembly of the flagellum, all the flagellar axial proteins are exported from the cytoplasm to the flagellum distal end through a 2 -3 nm channel located at its centre. This export mechanism is regulated by a specialized protein export system located on the cytoplasmic side of the basal body. It is called the Type III Export Apparatus and is found throughout the bacterial kingdom. In the case of Salmonella, this export apparatus is made by six membrane proteins: FlhA, FlhB, FliO, FliP, FliQ, FliR, and three cytoplasmic proteins: FliI, FliH and FliJ. The export apparatus of the bacterial flagellum is homolog to the type III secretion system (T3SS) found in Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. The T3SS role is to secrete virulence factors to host cells, leading to diverse diseases. To understand both the bacterial flagellum and its export apparatus, we have been doing structural studies on some flagellar proteins and genetic studies on the export apparatus.

Contact: f.a.samatey at oist jp

Contributions from OIST
Samatey joined OIST in 2007.

